42 Inspirational Korean Quotes You Should Know

Inspirational Korean Quotes -Ling - featured

Sometimes, a meaningful quote is the only thing you need when you are feeling down. Quotes can help you feel motivated and some of them can even become your life motto! For example, Korean quotes have beautiful meanings in various life-related topics. In today’s post, I’ll share more than 40 inspirational quotes in the Korean language with their literal translation and pronunciation. I hope that these quotes can help you stay positive and focused on your goals and stay inspired and motivated, even in the darkest of times.

Table Of Contents

Famous Korean Quotes

1. As long as there is life, there is hope.

삶이 있는 한 희망은 있다.

(Salme issneun han huimangeun itda.)

2. What is love? It is what remains after everything else is gone.

사랑은 무엇인가? 다른 것들이 사라진 후에 남는 것이다.

(Sarangeun mueosinga? Dareun geosdeuri sarajin hue nae-neun geosida.)

3. Continuous small efforts lead to big achievements.

계속되는 작은 노력이 큰 성취로 이어진다.

(Gyesokdoeneun jageun noryeogi keun seongchiro ieojinda.)

4. The best jewel is relentless effort.

최고의 보석은 끊임없는 노력이다. (Choego-ui boseogeun kkeunimeopsneun noryeog-ida.)

5. Nothing is achieved without hardship.

고통 없이는 무엇도 이루어지지 않는다.

(Gotong eobsineun mueosdo irueojiji anneunda.)

Korean Quotes About Success

6. Success is the meeting of preparation and opportunity.

성공은 준비와 기회의 만남이다.

Seong-gong-eun junbi-wa gihoe-ui mannam-ida.

7. Failure is the mother of success.

실패는 성공의 어머니이다.

Silpae-neun seong-gong-ui eomeoni-ida.

8. Success does not happen overnight.

성공은 하루아침에 이루어지지 않는다.

Seong-gong-eun haruachim-e iru-eojiji anhneunda.

9. There is no success without challenge.

도전 없는 성공은 없다.

Dojeon eobsneun seong-gong-eun eobsda.

10. The secret of success is to steadily progress toward your dreams.

꿈을 향해 꾸준히 나아가는 것이 성공의 비결이다.

Kkumeul hyanghae kkuzuni naaganeun geosi seong-gong-ui bigyeol-ida.

a green sprout growing inside human palm-Korean Quotes-Ling

Korean Quotes About Life

11. You only live once.

인생은 한 번 뿐이다.

Insaeng-eun han beon ppuni-da.

12. Life is a journey, not a destination.

인생은 여행이다, 목적지가 아닌 과정이다.

Insaeng-eun yeohaeng-ida, mokjeokji-ga anin gwajeong-ida.

13. Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.

인생은 자전거를 타는 것과 같다. 균형을 잡으려면 움직여야 한다.

Insaeng-eun jajeongeoreul taneun geosgwa gatda. Gyunhyeong-eul jabeuryeomyeon umjigyeoya handa.

14. Life is short, so don’t waste time.

인생은 짧으니, 시간을 낭비하지 말라.

Insaeng-eun jjalb-euni, sigan-eul nangbihaji malla.

15. Life is what we make of it.

인생은 우리가 만드는 것이다.

Insaeng-eun uriga mandeuneun geos-ida.

Korean Quotes About Love

16. Love is not seen with the eyes but with the heart.

사랑은 눈으로 보지 않고 마음으로 보는 거야.

Sarangeun nun-euro boji anhgo maeum-euro boneun geoya.

17. Love is about sharing, not monopolizing.

사랑은 나누는 것이지, 독점하는 것이 아니다.

Sarangeun nanuneun geosiji, dogjeomhaneun geos-i anida.

18. True love is understanding and caring for each other.

진정한 사랑은 서로를 이해하고 배려하는 것이다.

Jinjeonghan sarangeun seororeul ihaehago baeryeohaneun geos-ida.

19. Love conquers all.

사랑은 모든 것을 이긴다.

Sarangeun modeun geos-eul iginda.

20. Love creates miracles.

사랑은 기적을 만든다.

Sarangeun gijeog-eul mandeunda.

an antique clock-Korean Quotes

Korean Quotes About Time

21. Love creates miracles.

시간은 금이다.

Sigan-eun geum-ida.

22. Time waits for no one.

시간은 누구도 기다려주지 않는다.

Sigan-eun nugudo gidaryeojuji anhneunda.

23. Time is like a flying arrow.

시간은 날아가는 화살과 같다.

Sigan-eun nal-aganeun hwasal-gwa gatda.

24. The person who uses time well succeeds.

시간을 잘 활용하는 사람이 성공한다.

Sigan-eul jal hwalyonghaneun sarami seong-gonghanda.

25. Time that has passed will not come back.

지나간 시간은 다시 돌아오지 않는다.

Jinagan sigan-eun dasi doraoji anhneunda.

Korean Quotes About Friendship

26. A friend is a second self.

친구는 두 번째 자신이다.

Chinguneun du beonjjae jasin-ida.

27. A true friend is there not only in good times but also in bad times.

진정한 친구는 좋은 때 뿐만 아니라 나쁜 때도 함께 한다.

Jinjeonghan chinguneun joeun ttae ppunman anira nappeun ttaedo hamkke handa.

28. A friend is another self with the same heart.

친구란 같은 마음을 가진 또 다른 나이다.

Chinguran gateun maeumeul gajin tto dareun na-ida.

29. With a friend, the road is short.

친구와 함께라면 길도 짧다.

Chinguwa hamkkeramyeon gildo jjalda.

30. A friend is someone who makes me laugh when I am down.

친구는 내가 우울할 때 나를 웃게 만드는 사람이다.

Chinguneun naega uulhal ttae nareul utge mandeuneun saram-ida.

Korean Quotes About Family

31. Family are the people who lift us up every time we fall.

가족은 우리가 넘어질 때마다 일으켜 세워주는 사람들이다.

Gajok-eun uriga neomeojil ttaemada ireukyeo sewajuneun saramdeul-ida.

32. Family is the first school of life.

가족은 인생의 첫 번째 학교이다.

Gajok-eun insaeng-ui cheos beonjjae hakgyo-ida.

33. If you ask what family is, it is being together.

가족이란 무엇이냐고 묻는다면, 그건 함께 있는 것이다.

Gajog-iran mueos-inyago mutneundamyeon, geugeon hamkke inneun geos-ida.

34. A happy home is more beautiful than heaven.

행복한 가정은 천국보다 아름답다.

Haengboghan gajeong-eun cheongugboda areumdabda.

35. Family is built on love and trust.

가족은 사랑과 신뢰로 이루어진다.

Gajok-eun sarang-gwa sinloaero irwojinda.

a photo of BTS members

BTS Quotes

This part is for the ARMY! I know that BTS members are role models for a lot of fans, and that’s why I wanted to share some of their quotes here:

RM (Kim Namjoon):

“No matter who you are, where you’re from, your skin color, your gender identity: speak yourself.”

Source: Speech at the United Nations General Assembly, September 2018.

Jin (Kim Seokjin):

“Those who want to look more youthful should live life with a young heart.”

Source: From various interviews and BTS content.

Suga (Min Yoongi):

“Effort makes you. You will regret it someday if you don’t do your best now. Don’t think it’s too late but keep working on it. It takes time, but there’s nothing that gets worse due to practicing. So practice. You may get depressed, but it’s evidence that you are doing good.”

Source: From BTS’s “2018 BTS FESTA” video.

J-Hope (Jung Hoseok):

“If you don’t work hard, there won’t be good results.”

Source: From various BTS documentaries and interviews.

Jimin (Park Jimin):

“Go on your path, even if you live for a day.”

Source: From the song “No More Dream.”

V (Kim Taehyung):

“Don’t be trapped in someone else’s dream.”

Source: From the song “N.O.”

Jungkook (Jeon Jungkook):

“I’d rather die than live without passion.”

Source: From the “Burn the Stage” documentary series.

How Do You Say “Quote” In Korean?

The word for “quote” in Korean is 인용 (inyong).

Here are some Korean vocabulary related to Korean quotes:

EnglishKoreanPronunciation
Quote인용inyong
Famous saying명언myeongeon
Wisdom지혜jihae
Motivation동기부여donggibuyo
Success성공seonggong
Love사랑sarang
Hope희망huimang
Effort노력noryeok
Friendship우정ujeong
Life인생insaeng

Frequently Asked Questions About Korean Quotes

Let’s answer some frequently asked questions about Korean quotes:

1. What Is The Korean Quote About Success?

The most popular Korean quote about success is 성공은 실패에서 온다 (Seonggong-eun silpaee-seo onda). This translates to “Success comes from failure.” It emphasizes the idea that setbacks and failures are often necessary steps on the path to success.

2. Does Korean People Use Quotes In Everyday Life?

Yes, quotes are commonly used in Korean daily life. Koreans often draw inspiration, motivation, and wisdom from quotes shared in various contexts, such as literature, speeches, movies, and popular culture. They are shared in conversations, written on social media, displayed in public spaces, and even used as mantras or affirmations for personal growth and reflection.

3. Where Can I Find Famous Korean Quotes?

Famous Korean quotes can be found in books, online articles, websites dedicated to quotes, social media platforms, and conversations with native Korean speakers.

4. Who Are Famous Korean Figures Known For Their Quotes?

There are several renowned Korean authors, philosophers, poets, and historical figures whose quotes are widely shared. Famous examples are Yi Sun-sin, Seo Jeong-ju, Kim Yideum, and Yu Ja-Myeong.

Learn Korean Quotes To Understand Korean Culture!

Korean quotes hold wisdom that can really influence you. Whether you’re seeking motivation, comfort, or just a fresh perspective, these quotes cover everything from love and success to overcoming obstacles and cherishing friendships. They’re not just fancy words; they’re pieces of advice from people who’ve been there, done that. So, next time you need a little boost, turn to these Korean quotes—they might just be the grounding reminder or pick-me-up you need!

Hey! You may also like learning about Korean proverbs and Korean idioms, so check out our related blog posts before you leave!

Happy learning!

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